Changes to Purchasable Game Time Options

Yeah, can't sub with bnet balance, and buying a WoW token with it for game time is basically raising the price to $20 a month.

Probably done because of people like me who are raid logging and buying wow game time in 30 days increments, usually after my time runs out I can go a few days before I buy some more. Thankfully it seems like WoW is heading into a content drought for a while so I will happily cease my buying of game time altogether.

Originally Posted by Kyanion

As someone who has been using Bnet balance to buy blocks of 6 months game time, no, they don't count as recurring subs so you never got the free mounts. I had to use bnet for those as well.

well, contact CS because mine did if I had 180 day timecards used. and it says it at the bottom of the promotions when they happen.

Originally Posted by Vyndion

well, contact CS because mine did if I had 180 day timecards used. and it says it at the bottom of the promotions when they happen.

I mean I've been paid up years in advance in game time blocks for a few years now, not once did I ever get one of them. It isn't a recurring sub because you are using purchased game time via Bnet. 180 day time cards are likely totally different. *shrugs* Too late now either way, I waited weeks for any of the 'perks' to show up from it and when they didn't I just used more bnet and got whatever it was.

have we finally gotten it into our heads that this only affects "Game Cards" though the Blizzard Store and not standard Subs or WoW Tokens?

Originally Posted by Very Tired

So instead I can basically just buy a 30 day sub, then cancel immediately for the same exact price?

Correct, or buy a gold token.

So how do I get the 13,- € on my battle.net account back if I can't by a month game time anymore?

What's the point beside making it more inconvenient for those who want only 30 days? Now we have to subscribe then cancel instead of just clicking twice in the shop. Jesus these guys getting more anti-consumer day by day for every cent.

I sub so this won't affect me, I just don't understand why? It doesn't make any sense to me to limit that choice.

Wow. They see how much people are using gold instead of real money for game time so they doubled the time card to drive up the gold price for tokens so less people can afford them. This is such an incredibly greedy move.

Originally Posted by Vilendor

What's the point beside making it more inconvenient for those who want only 30 days? Now we have to subscribe then cancel instead of just clicking twice in the shop. Jesus these guys getting more anti-consumer day by day for every cent.

At least 2 reasons. One is that purchases made with blizzard balance is not new money (despite cashing in an extra 7 euros from the token exchange), so they want players to use their real money to subscribe instead of purchasing the game time (same reason they award the 6 months mounts only for subscription).

And the second reason they want people to use the subscription function is that you'll be surprised at how many people forget about it and pay for extra cycle without even playing.

Originally Posted by Vilendor

What's the point beside making it more inconvenient for those who want only 30 days? Now we have to subscribe then cancel instead of just clicking twice in the shop. Jesus these guys getting more anti-consumer day by day for every cent.

Previously many people would buy multiple tokens with gold, turn them into bnet balance and then buy mulitple months of gametime, getting the same bulk discount that subs get. Over time this discount adds up and lets you get more gametime for your gold.

That discount is now gone.

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Originally Posted by TheRevenantHero

Wow. They see how much people are using gold instead of real money for game time so they doubled the time card to drive up the gold price for tokens so less people can afford them. This is such an incredibly greedy move.

This was to remove the discount on bulk gametime and yes that would lead to higher token costs but the goal isn't to stop you from being able to afford one, a sub through a token is more money for Blizzard then a 'regular' sub after all, but if token prices are higher there is more incentive for people to buy tokens to get gold.

TIL that you can buy the digital equivalent of game cards from the Blizz Store. I never actually clicked on the "Game Time" button and thought it referred to subscriptions

Originally Posted by SinR

have we finally gotten it into our heads that this only affects "Game Cards" though the Blizzard Store and not standard Subs or WoW Tokens?

No because it also affected the standard sub prices for many countries.

Recurring 6 month here increased from 149 to 199. That on top of an increase a few months ago, it's insane.

F*** you Lizzard

This affect blizzard balance, so u cant just buy 5 tokens with gold and purshase the 6 months of gametime... smart move from blizzard.

This company is literally the least transparent greedy corporation I've seen in this industry and there are still fools on these boards defending them because "it's a business"

Good for fucking you, it was a business in 2004 as well and was nowhere near this level of shadiness.

Usually I resub and am bored after 3 weeks. Now if I can only sub for a minimum of 60 days I don't think I will resub at all to try a new patch.

Originally Posted by TheRevenantHero

Wow. They see how much people are using gold instead of real money for game time so they doubled the time card to drive up the gold price for tokens so less people can afford them. This is such an incredibly greedy move.

Using gold gives them more money then re money as every token is 20 instead of 15 so no that wouldn’t be the reason if any thing they would want to push more people to use gold.

Originally Posted by Sencha

Usually I resub and am bored after 3 weeks. Now if I can only sub for a minimum of 60 days I don't think I will resub at all to try a new patch.

You can still sub as normal, nothing changed there. Tokens are also still 1 month if you want that.
This really only affects the people who bought mulitple tokens with gold to turn into bnet balance to then buy multiple months at a discount.

Originally Posted by kranur

At least 2 reasons. One is that purchases made with blizzard balance is not new money (despite cashing in an extra 7 euros from the token exchange), so they want players to use their real money to subscribe instead of purchasing the game time (same reason they award the 6 months mounts only for subscription).

Bnet balance should fall into the accounts receivable classification making it the same as gift cards meaning Blizzard can't actually that money you put into your Bnet balance until you spend it on something in the store. Buying something with your Bnet balance or with a credit card should make no difference to them.